How to Grow Ferns in the Landscape

Ferns give a soft, feathery effect to the garden. There are ferns that can grow in most any part of the country provided you can give them the shade and water they need. Here is some information on different kinds of ferns and how to grow ferns in the landscape.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Ferns can grow tiny to tree size. You can plant ferns as ground-covers, graceful fountain shaped shrubs or 6 - 8' tall umbrella-like trees. Most ferns need a rich soil with plenty of humus worked in. Some will tolerate sun in areas that are not too dry or hot and all like good drainage.

2. Most ferns are acid loving plants that evolve on the floor of forests in shady areas with compost rich soil. Which is why they will grow in shady, slightly acidic soil best.

3. 
   Floating Azolla is a tiny aquatic fern

   Some of the smallest ferns are water dwellers that float on the surface of water. They make decorative pond plants. Azolla is an example of these floating ferns.

4. 
   Cycads and palms are not ferns.

   Palms or cycads can look fern like, but true ferns have a unique form of reproduction in which they multiply by spores rather than by setting seeds by flowering. In short, you won’t find flowers on ferns, but you might be able to see the brown spores in dotted lines on the underside of the leaves of a true fern.

5. Ferns most commonly used as house plants are the Boston Fern (Nephrolepis), the Rabbit’s Foot fern (Davallia) with its furry feet, or the Mother fern that offsets miniature fern plants at the tips of its leaves. Outdoor ferns can be grown in most gardens with some shade. The best varieties for you will depend on where you live.

6. Grow ferns in the shade garden where their delicate, rich green foliage will create a lush decorative effect. Cluster them to form feathery groups or use a large fern as a focal point. Most are used to high humidity and moist – not wet – soil. Given the right conditions you can grow beautiful ferns in your garden.

Resources

• Landscape design and garden information

[gahazeleyes]

on 6/13/2009 Thanks for sharing. Good article.

[georgelarson]

on 6/13/2009 Ferns sound like a great addition to a shade garden. Thanks.

[vallain]

on 6/13/2009 I'd like to get more ferns going in the edge of the woods. I love them.

[sonni57]

on 6/12/2009 I love ferns since they look good anywhere and are easy to care for.

[goodselfme]

on 6/12/2009 ferns for a landscaping tool is a good one.